


Through Jade's Eyes

by MrRhapsodist



Series: Force Bonds [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Aunt-Niece Relationship, F/F, Family Bonding, Fluff and Angst, Force Bond (Star Wars), Jedi Training, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 06:44:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10939131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrRhapsodist/pseuds/MrRhapsodist
Summary: On the eve of her graduation from the Jedi Academy, Jaina Solo wrestles with her feelings about a close friend. Fortunately, she has Mara Jade for an aunt, who knows a thing or two about dealing with scars and old pain.





	Through Jade's Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> It's been forever since I've done a Star Wars fic, but I just finished the new Thrawn novel last night and I've got an itch. Also, I loved the Mara and Jaina apprenticeship concept from the Expanded Universe and wish they'd done more with that.

As the light faded over the temple, the atmosphere on Yavin 4 was buzzing. A constant stream of starships flitted in and out of the main landing zone. Jedi trainees met their wellwishers and families at the entrance, clustering in a dozen small groups underneath the temple’s shadow. Everywhere she looked, she saw big smiles, hugs, and pleasantries exchanged back and forth.

It was a foreign feeling for Mara Jade Skywalker.

From her vantage point in the ziggurat’s upper levels, she could watch the crowds without drawing any attention to herself. Old habits from Imperial service didn’t fade easily. She couldn’t help scanning any crowd for possible threats or targets. Even when that crowd was full of friends and students. Even when, as a battered YT-1300 Corellian freighter touched down on the field, the crowd was _about_ to be full of family. Another foreign feeling for Mara, but one that she was quickly learning to appreciate.

At the edge of her mind, she felt a small, questioning pulse. A tendril of a thought, arising from deeper within the temple. Mara smiled and let her mind wrap around that presence like a hug.

“What’d you need, farmboy?” she asked. In this part of the temple, near the Masters’ quarters, there was no one around to eavesdrop. She made sure of it anyway with a few quick glances. “If you’re done with your meditation, you might want to hurry. Han and Leia just showed up.”

 _It’s nothing major._ Luke Skywalker reached back, his voice warm as ever. _I was only going to ask if you could hold off on greeting them._

Mara smirked. “Hey, news flash. You’re the one who _made_ me part of this family, like it or not.”

She could hear Luke’s chuckle through the Force bond. It wasn’t so unsettling anymore. Back on Nirauan, when their connection had first manifested in the heat of battle, it had come as a shock. A terrifying surrender of control that all of Mara’s training and experience had sought to defy. But around someone as kindhearted and honest as Luke, it was a relief. A welcome respite in the days following the Galactic Civil War. For once, she could enjoy herself and not have to shut herself off from the misery permeating the rest of the galaxy.

Meanwhile, Luke reached out to her again. This time, Mara saw a flash of an image. Slow footsteps inside a smaller chamber. The image grew clearer within a second. Brown boots and common Jedi robes. When she saw the person in those clothes, her breath caught.

“What’s going on with Jaina?” she asked.

 _That,_ Luke replied, _is what I’d like you to find out._

Mara pursed her lips. She’d gotten to know her niece and nephews well these last few years. Even showed Anakin a few tricks for decrypting Imperial codes, just to satisfy his interest in puzzle-solving. But the twins Jacen and Jaina had been absent of late, off on one adventure or another with their friends. Between their visits to Coruscant or their studies at the temple, Mara hadn’t seen much of them. And it didn’t help that she’d been busy moonlighting with Karrde’s new intelligence service when she wasn’t living with Luke at the temple.

Still, she had her reservations. The mental image Luke had sent was troubling. Jaina sat alone in her quarters, downcast and fiddling with some spare part. The girl had an impressive collection of junk in her room, always on one project or another. Mara could relate. She felt better when she had a task in front of her, however trivial.

In that light, this query from her husband was no exception.

“I’ll go and see her.” Mara pushed herself off the window and headed down the hall. “But _you_ have to cover for the both of us with your family.”

Another chuckle from Luke reached her ears. _I’ll get right on that, love._

Mara smiled. She dipped her head and kissed the palm of her hand. “Get going, farmboy. Give your sister a hug for me.”

* * *

En route to the student quarters, Mara stopped at the kitchens for a quick fix. She ignored the chef droid’s protests and whipped up two mugs of hot chocolate by herself. Of course the droid could’ve made them faster, but that wasn’t the point.

Some things had to be done by hand. That, she’d learned, was part of the job of being an aunt.

Carrying the mugs on a small tray, Mara let the weight balance on one hand while she headed straight for Jaina’s quarters. She stopped at a wooden door, an old-fashioned holdover from the Rebel occupation, and knocked with her free hand.

A pause. Then came a small voice. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Jaina.” Mara swallowed. “Can I come in?”

She waited. Her mind cautiously edged into the room ahead of her. At once, Mara felt the girl’s apprehension. That mood barely stretched over a long melancholy spell, one that had been pulling at her for hours. Mara didn’t flinch at the sensation. She knew those feelings well. She’d made her peace with most of them. Her anger still had its uses, but resentment had faded after spending so much time with Luke and his family.

 _No,_ Mara corrected herself. _It’s your family, too._

She felt a twist in the Force before she heard Jaina’s resigned sigh. The doorknob turned, and Mara let herself in.

Jaina sat on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, and her eyes focused on nothing. On the floor around her bed were half a dozen incomplete projects. Mara recognized a near-perfect hyperdrive motivator, along with several wires trailing out the back of a flight recorder. Add in a few hull plates marked with carbon scoring, and she’d practically be walking into the middle of a disassembled starship. Mara knew better than to ask about the parts. She tiptoed around each pile and offered the tray to her niece.

“I thought you could use this,” she said.

“I’m fine,” Jaina mumbled.

Mara waited. When she didn’t get a follow-up, she shrugged and set the tray down on a nearby table. Jaina didn’t move when she came back to the bed. But when she sat down beside her, Mara could sense the turmoil raging inside the girl. Fear and dread, along with guilt and confusion.

Taking a deep breath, Mara stilled her instincts. In her youth, she would’ve traced and exploited those feelings in a target. In a corrupt Governor hiding in his mansion, or in the gang of pirates who were tangling with Karrde’s forces. But this wasn’t another mission. There _was_ no target. But old habits died hard, so it was easier to sit and say nothing.

Another moment passed. Jaina squeezed her knees deeper into her chest. She let out a breath and finally turned her head toward Mara. “Did Uncle Luke send you?”

Perceptive. Mara appreciated that. She offered a smile. “Does it matter? Can’t an aunt come and pay her respects? Tomorrow’s a big day.”

“I know.” Jaina’s hair fell, shrouding most of her face from view. “Graduation Day.”

“You’ve earned it,” Mara insisted. “You and your whole class have accomplished quite a lot.”

She didn’t add _For your age._ Mostly because it sounded patronizing, but also because Mara could relate. So could Luke and his sister, for that matter. By their teens, they’d seen and done quite a lot themselves. For the Empire, for the Rebellion, for their family and farm in the arid deserts of Tatooine. None of them had had a normal childhood, if there was such a thing.

“I know,” Jaina replied. Her voice was still soft and bitter. She stared at the spare parts littering her floor. “We’re under a lot of pressure.”

“But you’ve got your friends,” Mara added. She smiled and patted her niece’s shoulder. “I know you’ll all do fine together.”

“That’s just it, though.”

“What is?”

“My friends.”

Mara looked her over. Jaina’s hair still shrouded most of her face. “Did something come up?”

Jaina shrugged. “You could say that.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“I...” Jaina shook her head. “I don’t know if you can help.”

“You don’t know until you try.”

Jaina chuckled. “I thought there _was_ no try.”

“That’s your uncle talking. I sure as hell tried a _lot_ in my lifetime.” Mara didn’t intend for so much fire and pride to fill her voice. Even so, she couldn’t deny it. She nudged Jaina in the shoulder. An old interrogation tactic, but it was a lot friendlier the way she meant it. “C’mon, Jaina. What do you have to lose?”

A long pause followed. Jaina slowly raised her head and let her legs unfurl beneath her. She slumped back onto the bed, staring up at nothing. Mara leaned back on one elbow and waited.

Finally, Jaina said, “I can’t get her out of my head.”

“Who?”

“T... Tenel...” Now Jaina did turn and look at Mara. When she did, her cheeks flushed. “Tenel Ka.”

Mara blinked. She’d known a few things about her niece’s love life, but most of those details centered around that dark-haired young man from Coruscant. Zekk, she recalled. A bit morose, but after all the hardships and troubles he’d faced with street gangs, bounty hunters, and Imperial hardliners, she couldn’t blame him for that. She knew something of that life herself. Even so, Mara hadn’t counted on hearing Jaina’s interest take such a sudden swerve.

Was that the problem, then?

“You’re interested in her as more than a friend, I take it?” Mara decided to carefully probe around the issue. She backed up her question with an easy smile. “Nothing wrong with that.”

“I... I don’t know if it’s real, though.”

“It’s real if you feel good about it,” Mara offered. She reached out and brushed at a piece of lint on her niece’s shoulder. “That’s all that matters.”

“No, I mean, it’s not _just_ me who feels this way.” Jaina chewed at her bottom lip. “It’s Jacen, too.”

“But how does that even...?” Mara trailed off. Realization dawned inside her. “Oh. _Oh._ I see.”

“I just...” Jaina shook her head. She turned her back to Mara and pulled her knees in again. Her shoulders heaved slowly. “It’s so... constant. I mean, growing up is rough and all, but it’s worse when you’ve got this... this twin bond all the time. Like, there’s no real privacy. Every time he looks at her, I _get_ it. Every. Time. And it’s like... it’s like I can’t turn it off. Even when he’s not thinking of her like that, _I’m_ getting those feelings.” Jaina sniffled. “We’ve been apart in two different star systems and I’ve _still_ felt this way about her.”

Mara’s heart sank a little further with each word. She couldn’t believe that she’d been missing all the signs for so long. But then, Jaina had become good enough to hide this turmoil from her own brother. It made sense that she didn’t let it show around her family. Maybe Luke, though, was perceptive enough to see the truth. That explained a lot about why he’d sent Mara to check up on the girl.

No, not a girl. A young woman, Mara decided. Someone who deserved to be happy. Someone trying to figure out her life as it was about to change drastically again.

Leaning a little closer, Mara said, “Jaina, it’s okay. You’re going to be fine.”

“Don’t tell me that!” Jaina’s response came out as a choked sob. “Don’t tell me it’s going to be fine! I get that enough from Mom and Dad and Uncle Luke as it is...”

“But I’m not them,” Mara insisted. She leaned closer, almost planting her chin on the young woman’s shoulder. Her hand stroked away some of the hair from Jaina’s face. “I know you. I’ve seen what you can do when you’re faced with a challenge. You can’t resist fixing something when it’s broken. The only trouble you’re having here is that what’s broken is how you feel. And I don’t know that what you’re feeling needs fixing.”

Even as she spoke, Mara caught flashes from Jaina. Enough turmoil leaked through her niece’s mental barriers, even with all her Jedi training. She saw memories and glimpses of Tenel Ka, the warrior princess in lizard-hide armor, scaling the side of the temple. A daughter of two worlds, Hapes and Dathomir, with rust-colored hair and gray piercing eyes. She didn’t crack many smiles, but the ones she did were precious, at least to Jaina’s eyes. There was confidence in every step, and a fierce loyalty that burned within her, identical to that of an akk dog. With each new memory, Mara felt a sting of guilt arise in Jaina’s heart. Along with something else.

Desire. A dangerous thing, if you didn’t know how to channel it. She’d seen so many people ruined by it. Mara had even ruined a few because of it, when their desires for power made them victims of the Emperor’s wrath.

 _No, now’s not the time,_ she reminded herself. _Family first, old scars later._

Mara drew her hand to her niece’s shoulder. She pressed down, not to hurt, but to rub away the tension she felt there.

“Living with a Force bond isn’t easy,” she said. “Believe me, I know all about it.”

“You do?” Jaina’s voice came back with a sniffle.

“I sure do. Remember when I married your uncle?”

“Sure...”

“I needed a lot of adjustment.” Mara continued to massage Jaina’s shoulder. She scooted closer to her on the bed. “You might’ve guessed I’m a very private person. I don’t... I’m not _used_ to sharing things with people. To trusting others. But I’ve gotten better over the years. Working for Karrde. Meeting your Uncle Luke. Becoming part of your family. And let me tell you, Jaina, I don’t regret a single day of it. Even when your uncle’s feeling the stress of running this school and teaching you kids, we’ve learned how to shoulder it together.”

Jaina turned to look at her aunt over her shoulder. “Because of your bond?”

Mara nodded. “I know it’s a lot to ask your brother to help you with that.” She smiled. “Teenage boys, as I understand it, can’t exactly keep a lid on those feelings.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Jaina winced. “I know too much about that...”

“I’ll bet you do.” Mara reached down and grabbed for Jaina’s hand. She locked their fingers together and squeezed. “But you don’t have to face this alone. If you like, I can show you how to manage that bond.”

Jaina hesitated. “How?”

“By forming our own,” Mara replied. She squeezed the girl’s hand again. “Here, let me show you...”

* * *

They sat cross-legged on the floor, with most of the junk swept back to the edges of the room. Facing each other, Mara and Jaina went through the usual breathing exercises that Luke taught at the academy. In and out, in and out, each breath spanning seven seconds or longer. Enough to tap into one’s metabolism and calm the nervous system, as Mara’s specialized training had taught her to do. But that training had never accounted for a bond that went outside her master’s wishes.

“Close your eyes,” Mara whispered. “Focus on your heart.”

She sensed hesitation. Then, a small beacon of light flashed to life in the stillness of the room. Mara didn’t need to look. She could already feel the peace filling Jaina’s core. Slow and majestic like a waterfall.

That was the easy part. The rest needed their combined effort. And unlike her time with Luke, she didn’t have the frenzy of a life-or-death scenario to speed this process along.

Mara began with a few gentle pulses. Small threads of pure emotion. Love. Concern. Hope. Joy. Those emotions were tied to specific memories, which she offered freely in the telepathic link she and Jaina now shared. Memories of her wedding day, eventful as it had been. Watching holos of the New Republic-Imperial peace treaty after decades of war. Building a home with Luke on Coruscant. Greeting the Solo children when they arrived for their studies on Yavin 4. In her mind’s eye, they all shone so clearly.

But those were only the recent memories.

Mara drew in a deep breath.

“Relax,” she said. “Just relax.”

When she felt Jaina’s mind ease up, she pushed a little further. Mara found a treasure trove of powerful memories and emotions waiting there. She saw firefights on Kessel and Bespin. Starfighter battles and the thrill of being in the cockpit of an unknown vessel. Encounters with Zekk in the depths of Kashyyyk’s forests and the jungles of Yavin 4. She found heartbreak and joy and terror, and she didn’t even blink at the sensation.

But push a little deeper, and she knew she’d find the heart of the matter.

Jaina’s breath caught in her throat. “I... I don’t know if I should...”

“It’s okay. This isn’t meant to be easy, Jaina.” Mara smiled without opening her eyes. “Here, let me show you this...”

She steeled herself for the next barrage of emotions. Her own, this time. One by one, she let out a few choice memories from her distant past. Things that she and Luke had discussed in private. Things that she couldn’t admit even to friends like Leia or Karrde.

There had been the Moff who’d sold arms to a Rebel network on Zeltros. He’d never felt the knife until it reached his heart. Then there was the job with Karrde and Aves on Lysatra. Another deal with a crime boss that went south, and left behind a trail of bodies. And then there were moments outside her jobs. The loss of her master and his vicious final command. Going on the run from Isard. Finding herself trapped on Nirauan. Facing all her fears as Luke put her in a hibernation trance to escape the underlevels at the Hand of Thrawn.

She heard a whimper and almost broke the link. But Mara didn’t let it go. Instead, she pressed her mind toward Jaina and waited.

In an instant, she felt the young woman’s barriers weaken. Not out of fear, but with pity. Tragic understanding floated in the air between them. Mara could see the girl’s own faults and failures. She understood the pain of being shuttled from one hideout to another as a child. Separation anxiety, with only Jacen’s calming presence to soothe her. Apprehension, as she took the first steps to Jedi Knighthood under her uncle’s watchful eye. And, of course, that surprising, fervent desire for her friend and fellow student, Tenel Ka.

 _It’s fine,_ Mara sent through their link. _It’s fine. Say it with me now._

 _It’s fine,_ Jaina answered. Her heart thundered in her chest. _It’s fine..._

 _You’re allowed to love her,_ Mara insisted. _Forget what your brother feels. He’s not here. Put yourself in this moment and talk to her directly._

A new scene unfolded in Jaina’s mind. Mara saw it clearly. She watched from Jaina’s point of view as she approached Tenel Ka on a balcony somewhere on Coruscant. The lights from a thousand spires and airtaxis gleamed like stars behind the Dathomiri warrior’s head, like the gems in a Hapan crown. More anxiety flooded Jaina’s nerves. She wasn’t royalty. Her mother was the adopted princess of a long-dead world. She couldn’t match the fire that she saw in Tenel Ka’s demeanor.

 _Yes, you can,_ Mara interrupted. She smiled at the quaver she felt in Jaina’s chest. _Relax. This is your friend. This is your life. Not Jacen’s. Yours. Tell her how you feel._

And so Jaina did. The words came tripping out of her mouth. Mara didn’t need to catch every one to know the truth behind them. More important was the way Tenel Ka—or rather, the image of her in Jaina’s mind—reacted to those words.

Her face broke out into a precious smile. Mara nearly leapt for joy, as did Jaina.

 _Always remember,_ Mara said, _I’m here for you..._

 _Whenever you need me,_ Jaina finished. By now, her breathing had slowed, and her heartbeat found an acceptable rate. Mara nodded and continued to send positive feelings through the bond they now shared.

Somewhere, she imagined, Luke would be smiling to himself.

* * *

When Jaina opened her eyes, Mara did the same. She almost rushed forward when she saw the tears streaking down her niece’s face. But Mara kept still. She waited.

Jaina sniffled and rubbed at her nose. She took another breath. Then she met Mara’s gaze and opened her mouth. But no words came out. She tried again, managing a very quiet, “I, um... I wanted to say...”

“It’s okay, Jaina.” Mara winked. “I know. And you’re welcome.”

The young woman laughed. She brushed the tears from her face and shook her head. “That was... that was so intense, though. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

Now it was Mara’s turn to hesitate. “I know my past is a lot to handle, but—”

“It’s fine, Aunt Mara.” Jaina smiled through her sniffles. “I... I get it. I can’t imagine how hard it was to share that with me. But I’m glad you did.”

“Me, too.” As Mara regained her inner calm, she toyed with a vague notion. Of course she’d be watching for Jaina and the other Solo children at their graduation ceremony. What proud aunt wouldn’t be? But now that she saw the girl—the young woman—she had a different agenda. A new road to take, and one that Luke would probably support wholeheartedly.

But of course he would. Leave it to the farmboy to do _everything_ with his whole heart.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you something.” Mara folded her hands in her lap. “It’s about your upcoming graduation.”

Jaina frowned. “What about it?”

“Have you given much thought to your apprenticeship?” Mara asked. She shrugged. “I mean, apart from getting to know your friend Tenel Ka a little better.”

The shade of red that Jaina’s face turned, Mara decided, was an appealing color. The young woman stammered a half-hearted, “Well, I-I mean, I hadn’t really decided on that yet...”

“It’s okay. You can tell me.”

Jaina nodded. She brushed a lock of her hair behind one ear. “Well, you probably already guessed it, but... I was kinda hoping to ask you.”

In fact, Mara did know that. But not from any of the signs Jaina had been giving her. She knew it because she felt it deep down in her niece’s heart. About as clear as any of her own desires. That was a good start. With that feeling out in the open, she could already see how to build from there. Mara knew the other desires in Jaina’s core. Flying through open space and saving planets like a real Jedi Knight. Forging bonds with her family and friends. Exploring the terrifying vista with someone like Zekk. Or, perhaps, with someone like Tenel Ka.

Mara decided that it was a path they should walk together.

“I accept,” Mara said aloud, “but on one condition.”

Jaina swallowed. “And that is?”

“I can teach you a lot as your Master,” Mara explained, “but I don’t have a lot of experience at being a mentor. I’ve usually worked alone, even when hired by someone else. So, if we do this, then I’ll need you to teach me how to work as a team.” She let out a tiny smile. “Sound good?”

A rippling laugh broke the silence. Jaina shook her head and wiped away the last of her tears. “Yeah. I just...” She grinned. “Thank you, Mara. For everything.”

Mara had expected the answer. She also anticipated, by half a second, the hug that Jaina tackled her with a moment later. Mara drew her niece close and pressed her hands into the girl’s back. Warmth flowed between them, and the stone brick walls of the room fell away. Mara could feel Luke and the others gathering downstairs. She didn’t need to test their bond to know that Luke was sending out tendrils of pride and humor her way.

 _Hey, farmboy, a little privacy, please,_ Mara sent back.

Still, she nudged Jaina in the shoulder and helped her to her feet. “C’mon. Let’s go and join the others.” Mara smiled. “I’m sure your friends will want to see you, too.”

Jaina nodded. “Okay. Lead the way, Mara. I’ll be right behind you.”


End file.
